Life-saving suit



vFiled Feb. 2o 1924 alitoz n @14 Patented June 3, 1924.

UNITED stares JAMES F. IVIORDICA, OF'PHILADELPI-IIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LIFE-SAVING SUIT.

Application filed February 20, 1924.

To all whom z'z may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES F. MoRDroA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life- Saving Suits; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in life saving devices, and particularly to life saving suits, which are especially adapted for use on ships, for the passengers and crews.

One object of the invention is' to provide a device of this character which is adapted to be Worn in anticipation of danger, and wherein the wearer will have free use of the hands and arms.

VAnother object is to provide a device of this character which, when worn as above mentioned, is at all times adapt-ed to be quickly adjusted to the upper portion of the body of the wearer, upon it being necessary to leave the ship and take to the water.

Another object is to provide a suit of this character which is provided with cork devices around the waist, and associated with the cork devices air cells or an inflatable tube, which will serve to maintain the wearer afloat should the cork become waterlogged.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent fro-m the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of 'alife saving suit made in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the suit when worn in anticipation of danger. Y

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, slightly enlarged.

Referring particularly to. the accompanying drawings, there is shown a yunion suit comprising the nether garment portion 10 and the body garment portion 11, the former including" the shoes 12, and the latter including gloves 13 formed integrally with the sleeves 14. Secured around the waist of the body garment portion 11, externally Serial No. 694,048.

being properly sewed within pockets 16, formed. of the material of the garment, which is, as will be understood, waterproof. Carried by the waist of the body garment portion, and slidable fwithin t-he guide loops 17, is a belt 18, which is arranged to secure the garment tightly and firmly around the body of the wearer. The portion of the body garment 11, above the cork floats 15, is provided with a draw string 19, by means of which this portion of the garment may be drawn tightly about the neck of the wearer. Secured to the neck portion of the garment 11, by means of the strap 20, is a hood 21,

the same having a neck portion 22 provided with an elastic to cause the same to lit snugly around the neck of the wearer. The hood has the window 23 and mouthpiece 24.

It will be noted that the gloves 13 have the first finger and thumb portions, to facili- .tate the use of these portions of the hands of the wearer.

Secured within the body garment, around the waist. thereof, is an inflatable rubber tube 25, the same having an inilating nip ple 26 extending through the front of the garment, within convenient reach of the mouth of the wearer, so that the wearer may inflate the tube.

When a ship is passing through a zone where danger is not apparent. but imminent, the passengers and crew wear the suits in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3, the shoulder straps 27, which are secured to the interior of the suit, at the waist line, are placed over the wearers shoulders, while the portion of the garment, above the cork floats, as well as the sleeves 14, are tucked into the upper portion of the garment. The wearers arms and hands are thus free to perform the usual duties, and when danger is near, the wearer pulls the upper or body garment portion upwardly, places the arms in the sleeves, and adjusts the said garment portion about the neck, and then places the hood over the head. The wearer is then dressed to take to the water, should it be necessary, and thus be protected from the water. The floats, as well as the air tube will maintain the wearer afioat until assistance is given.

In a life saving device, the combination with the wall of a body garment, of a series of longitudinally extending pocket-s 'arrangedraround the waist of the garment and formed in said wall externally thereof, a,

float body secured Within each of the pookets, a tubular pocket formed around the `Waist portion of jshe said Wall, internally of the garment and integrally With said Wall, and an inflatable air tube disposed Within said tubular pocket and having an inatng tube extending therefrom.

In testimony whereof, I affix iny signature, in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES F. MORDICA.

Witnesses:

WILLIM MULDER, GEO. W. DAVIS. 

